Turkey Did Not Accuse Ukraine of Blowing Up the Nova Kakhovka Dam
The Claim
Turkey has accused the Ukrainian regime of blowing up the Nova Kakhovka Dam in the Kherson region.
Emerging story
Social media users recently circulated a claim alleging that Turkey has accused the Ukrainian regime of blowing up the Nova Kakhovka Dam in the Kherson region.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating claim and found it to be fake. The claim is unsubstantiated. No governmental office in Turkey has made the claimed accusations. Moreover, no reliable media outlet reported the alleged accusations.
Moreover, the video used in the first viral tweet dates back to November 2022. As can be seen below, Misbar’s team found that the video was featured in a 2022 BBC article.
According to Reuters, in a recent phone call between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, President Erdogan proposed the formation of an international commission to investigate the destruction of the major dam situated on the front line between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
Nova Kakhovka Dam Destruction Unleashes Catastrophic Floods
A devastating event has unfolded in the Russian-controlled region of southern Ukraine as a massive dam has been destroyed, resulting in a catastrophic flood. The blame game between Ukraine's military, NATO, and Russia continues, with each side accusing the other. Thousands of individuals have been evacuated from nearby communities, while low-lying areas on both sides of the Dnipro River are being engulfed by the destructive floodwaters. As the floodwaters continue to rise, the UN's humanitarian aid chief, Martin Griffiths, warns of grave and far-reaching consequences for the affected Kherson region.
The Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, situated in the city of Nova Kakhovka within the Kherson region, is home to the dam in question. Presently, the city is under Russian occupation. This dam, constructed during the Soviet era, is one of six dams along the Dnipro River. The river stretches from the northernmost part of Ukraine to the southern sea. In the Kherson region, Russia controls the left or southern bank, while Ukraine oversees the right or northern bank.
Stark images and videos capture the momentous breach in the dam, leading to a torrent of water surging through and flooding downstream towards Kherson. Although the exact time of the initial damage remains uncertain, satellite imagery suggests a progressive deterioration of the dam over several days. Signs of damage to the road atop the dam were apparent from June 2, but the alteration in water flow only became evident on June 6 when the breach and the subsequent collapse of nearby structures were clearly visible. The connection between the road damage on June 2 and the subsequent breach on June 6 is currently unclear.
Long-Term Impact of the Nova Kakhovka Dam Destruction
The ecological consequences are alarming, as floodwaters wash away agricultural land and the effects of the flooding are expected to persist for years. The Ukrainian agriculture ministry reports that 10,000 hectares of agricultural land on the Ukrainian-controlled side of the Dnipro have been submerged, with several times more affected on the Russian-occupied side. Additionally, around 94% of irrigation systems for agriculture in the Kherson region are now without a water source.
The cause of the dam breach remains unclear; however, Ukraine's military has accused Russia of intentionally causing the destruction. On the contrary, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denies any Russian involvement and instead attributes the incident to Ukraine, labeling it an act of "sabotage" aimed at depriving the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, of water.
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